How to Be an Ordinary Girl
by 23a
Summary: Elizabeth finally has her family back, and has settled down in Storybrooke. And nobody wants to kill her anymore (or so she thinks). Now, however, she faces what may be her biggest challenge yet - being a normal person, living a normal life. Sequel to "The Forgotten Girl."
1. A New Adventure

I scanned again through the list of available houses. None of them seemed _right._ And I was the easier barrier; once I made my list, houses had to pass my Papa before they would even be considered. Living in a room at a bed & breakfast was really starting to get on my nerves. I glanced at the mirror, which was remarkably small. I was wearing jeans, the first pair I had ever owned, and a light blue shirt. My hair was back in a ponytail, and I was wearing hoop earrings - I had finally gotten my ears pierced (with magic). I was wearing silver sneakers, which Emmy had picked out. That little kid was cute. I thought I looked pretty good, but that didn't mean I was ready. I wasn't sure I'd ever be ready to embark on the biggest adventure of my life. Michael knocked on the door.

"Come in!" I called.

He walked into the room. "Liz, you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," I said. "I just wish we were starting in the same grade."

"Well, I'm a year older than you," he said. "So you're just going to be a freshman." He stuck his tongue out.

"Watch it dude, I'm still a pirate. You sure you know everything you need to know?"

"Yes! I read every textbook from the second-grade curriculum to the first half of the tenth grade curriculum, I've got it down. What about you?"

"Read up through the eighth grade and the beginning of the ninth. We're ready."

"Awesome. What about your friend?"

"Charlotte? I think she's ready to start school for the second half of senior year."

"Good luck to her."

"Yeah. Is Emmy ready for the third grade?"

"I believe she is. And very excited, I might add."

"Of course. She's excited about everything. Anyway, let's go."

"Going, going. I promised your nephew we'd meet him at the bus stop."

"Great. I'll be seen with an eighth grader."

"His mother is the mayor."

"Fair enough. Let's get out of here."

"Let's." On the way, Michael asked, "Found a house yet?"

"Nope. None of them seem right, and even the okay ones would never pass my Papa and there's no use trying."

Michael chuckled. "He's a bit harsh, isn't he?"

"He's never lived in a house before. Neither have I. Pirate ships suffice for both of us."

Michael raised his eyebrows. "Okay, then..."

I laughed. "Anyway, we're about to start school!"

"I know," he said. "It's pretty exciting. Having a real life and everything... it's just a little bit terrifying."

"Need me to hold your hand?" I teased.

He raised his eyebrows. "Well, you are my girlfriend, right?"

"Uh... Have we agreed we're going to use that word?"

Before Michael could say anything, my nephew walked up to us. "Hey Elizabeth," Henry greeted with a smile. "Hi Michael."

"Hi Henry," I said. "How's it going?"

"Fine," he replied. "Are you excited to start school?"

"Sure," I replied. "School is... a thing."

"Just don't start acting like you're better cause you're a couple centuries older," he said.

I raised my eyebrows. "Don't worry, kid. Not a problem."

"Also, Dad said to say 'Good luck' from him."

"Thanks," I replied, rolling my eyes at my big brother's attempt to embarrass me. "You don't have any messages from my Papa, do you?"

"No," he replied. "Let's get on the bus."

We did.

* * *

"Elizabeth, how was school?" my Papa asked when I got back to Granny's.

"Fine," I replied. It had been pretty cool. I had known what I needed to know to understand the material (thank you, books), I had arrived to all my classes on time, and I had made a new friend - Rebecca. The lunch had been gross, but that was only a minor detail.

"I can't believe you're actually going to school. You're going to be exceptional," he said. "You'll be top of your class and get into a great college and -"

"Papa!" I interrupted. "Wait till I get my first graded assignment back, would you?"

"Fine," he replied. "But I just want you to know how proud I am of my daughter. I love you."

"Love you too," I replied, rolling my eyes.


	2. HashtagTeenGirlProblems

By the time the first week had ended, the glamor of school had worn off and I had begun to realize something: I did not like high school. I was able to keep up with the information, though it was difficult, but that was the least of the problems. Homework had quickly become my new nemesis-why did I always need a nemesis? Is it because I'm a pirate?-and there was almost nothing I wanted to do less.

Scratch that.

There were a lot of things. E.g. returning to Neverland, being murdered by psychos, eating food cooked by my father... but homework was _really, really_ not fun.

Then there was the social scene to contend with. Rebecca and I were becoming good friends-she was fascinated that I was a pirate, as in the Enchanted Forest she had been only a peasant girl-and I had started to get along with most of the people in my classes, but I was learning that Michael couldn't hang out with me much and Henry and I couldn't speak at all. Charlotte and I spoke briefly when we passed in the hallways, but most of our conversations had to happen outside of school hours. And some of the students were even snarkier than Peter Pan. Basically, by Friday, I was absolutely done, and absolutely ready to hang out with my friends. Rebecca was going to show Charlotte, Michael, and me some supposed teen hangout spot, as well as something called "social media."

* * *

Friday after school, I curled my hair (with magic) and put in some pink earrings. I walked outside, where Michael was waiting. "Hey Liz," he said.

"Hi, Mike."

"Please don't do that."

"Okay."

"You excited?"

"Yeah, I am. You?"

"Yeah."

Charlotte came over and joined us. "Hi."

"Hi, Charlotte. How's your first week of being a senior in high school been?"

"Just great, Elizabeth, I'm the center of attention because everyone wants to hear about the early twentieth century."

"It wasn't all that interesting."

"It's a whole different land to them. Like Neverland was for us."

"I suppose that's true. Rebecca loves hearing about Neverland and the past and the pirate ship. She won't tell me much about her town in the Enchanted Forest, though, just about life in Storybrooke. Apparently they're all just regular modern teens and they even know some people outside of Storybrooke through this "internet" thing everyone is talking about."

"I'm so excited to learn about all that."

"Me too. Where's Rebecca?"

"Right here!" said Rebecca, coming up. "Sorry I'm late, I was just meeting with my English teacher about an assignment. Ready to go?"

"Ready."

"Ready."

"Let's sail away."

Rebecca shook her head with a chuckle. "Once a pirate, always a pirate, huh?"

"Well, duh."

* * *

"Okay," said Rebecca. "This is a cellphone."

We looked at the device. "What does it do?" asked Charlotte.

"It calls people," said Michael. "That much I remember."

"Calls?"

"It communicates with people who are in other places."

"Oh, yes, I read about that in the history book, they were invented in the 1980s and telephones were... early twentieth century?"

"Yeah, right."

"How _did_ you guys manage to learn all that with books?" asked Rebecca.

"Well, we read them. I've heard nobody actually reads the books in high school?"

"Pretty much true," Rebecca agreed. "Anyway, I'm going to show you something called Facebook now..."

* * *

By the time the meeting was over, Rebecca had explained all the social media basics, and I was itching to make accounts. Most of them could be made with a computer, she said; I'd ask Bae if I could borrow his. But I needed a smartphone. Which meant asking Papa for money.

"Papa?" I asked, knocking on the door.

"Elizabeth! How was school?"

"Meh, whatever. Papa, I want a smartphone."

"Elizabeth, what-"

"Papa, I need to be able to get social media."

"Elizabeth, those things are expensive!"

"It's my birthday soon."

"Well, yes..."

"Smartphone _please?_ "

"Well, alright."

"Thank you Papa!"

I went to Bae's room.

* * *

"Hey, big brother," I said when he opened the door.

"Hi, sis. What do you need?"

"To borrow your laptop."

"For what?"

"Making various social media accounts."

"Why?"

"Everybody has them! Rebecca showed us the basics today, now I just have to make them."

"Only if you'll friend Henry on Facebook. He's saying nobody will friend him."

"Yeah, sure, I'll-wait, why? Henry's popular."

"People are afraid if they friend him on Facebook some villain will come and hunt them down."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Nope."

"Okay, well, I'll friend Henry on Facebook and follow him on Instagram and can I please just see your laptop?"

"Okay, okay, calm down."


	3. Great Mall Adventure

Two weeks. I was up to two weeks of high school, two weeks of trying to be a normal person, and I wasn't sure which was harder. I had found a house that I liked in the list, and it was even relatively near the docks; I just had to hope that Papa would approve it. Today, though, I had promised Emmy that I would take her to the mall. Charlotte had said she would come too, and Michael was on board; Rebecca had to do some family thing she didn't sound all too happy about. I wasn't sure why. Family was a gift, she should be happy about it. But whatever.

None of us had a ton of money to spend at the mall; Charlotte had saved a bit from the shifts she was doing at Granny's, but the rest of us only had a few dollars apiece (Emmy thought her ten were a fortune). We were mostly going to window shop and buy ice cream. Emmy said it was something she had read that people did that was very fun. Having never been to a mall before, I would have to take her word for it; Charlotte had never been either, which made Michael the only mall veteran, and he hadn't been since he was around five. So it would be an experience.

* * *

"Why is there green stuff everywhere?"

"Those are Christmas decorations," said Michael.

"What's Christmas?"

"Uh... I'll explain it later."

"Okay."

"Who's the big fat guy in the toy store?" asked Emmy.

"Santa Claus," said Charlotte. "I think."

"Charlotte, you know this stuff."

"Elizabeth, if you'll remember, I'm an Earthling. I lived in the early twentieth century, but I lived here, and I know Christmas stories. This whole decorated mall thing and Santa being in a store seems odd. Also that it's only the first week of December and they have Christmas stuff."

"Yeah, I don't know how it used to be," Michael said, "But now people go all out super early. They also come to malls and have kids sit on Santa's lap and tell him what present they want for Christmas."

"I'm a kid," said Emmy.

"Do you want to do it?" Charlotte asked.

She nodded. "Then I get a present."

"Uh... you don't really get the present, Emmy," Michael said. "The kids say it when their parents can hear and then their parents get it for them."

"Oh. Why do they do it like that?"

"The story is that Santa comes around on Christmas Eve and gives every good child in the world what they want."

"And people believe that?" I asked. It seemed so utterly ridiculous.

"Yeah, they do."

"Well, it still sounds fun," said Emmy. "And if you all listen you can hear what I want and get it."

"Huh."

We went into the store, and Emmy waited in the line. When it was her turn, she eagerly sat on the man's lap-a stranger's lap, that was odd!-and said, "I want a tiara. And a computer."

"Can anybody afford a computer?" Michael whispered to the two of us.

"I can afford half of a cheap plastic tiara," Charlotte whispered back.

"I'll work it out," I said. "I have connections."

* * *

After Emmy had her moment with Santa, we went to get ice cream. "Does everyone do this Christmas thing? Does my Papa?"

"I don't know," said Michael, "But it's probably fair to say that Emma does. In fact, they've almost all got fake or real memories from this world... Emma, your brother, Henry, they probably all do it... Regina probably does. Maybe the Charmings too. You'll probably get a Christmas dinner, Elizabeth."

"Is it fun?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. My family didn't celebrate it."

"Why not?" said Emmy. "It's fun."

"It's also a religious holiday for a religion we weren't."

Emmy frowned. "Toys and parties. Why not do it?"

Michael laughed. "Eat your ice cream, kiddo."

"So, the mall isn't always like this, right?"

"No."

"Good. Because it's crazy."

* * *

"Papa, I found a house that I like."

He smiled a bit. "Did you now?"

"Yes, and hopefully this one you'll approve?"

"I have high standards for our home, Elizabeth."

"Basically anything would beat this."

"Well... that's actually a fair point. But a house... a home... is something important. I want to get it right."

I showed him what I had found.

"Alright, I guess I like it too."


	4. Moving Day

"Boxes are heavy," I muttered, and used magic to transport them into the house.

"That is _so_ cheating," Charlotte complained.

"I'll do yours too."

"Well, okay then."

I transported her boxes into the house. "You know, you don't have to help."

"Yes, I know. But if I do, I'm more likely to get to come stay over, right?"

"No. I'd invite you either way."

"Oh, really?"

"Well, duh. You're my best friend."

"You sure I haven't been replaced by Rebecca?"

"Charlotte, are you jealous? Come on, you've got centuries on her."

She chuckled. "I guess that's true."

"Maybe the three of us could all have a sleepover together."

"Oh, that does sound fun!"

"Great. How about Saturday night?"

"Don't you have a date with Michael?"

"No, and sheesh, Charlotte, are you jealous of everybody?"

"No."

"Okay, well, then act less jealous."

"Okay, okay!"

"By the way, speaking of friends and stuff, Mary Margaret is throwing the town a Christmas party."

"You're kidding."

"No. She wants everyone to get together for something and she found her excuse."

"People from your land don't even celebrate Christmas!"

"No, they do not, but Emma does. She's from your land."

"Well, okay then. Who'll be there?"

"Everybody, I guess. Mary Margaret and David, Emma, Baelfire, Henry, Regina probably, that Robin Hood guy she's seeing, his kid, Rumpelstiltskin and Belle, my Papa, me, whatever people from the town that I don't know decide to show up, and you, Rebecca, Michael, and Emmy, if you all decide to come."

"Oh. Well, that does sound like quite a party."

"Yeah. Don't expect it to have anything to do with Christmas, though."

"Oh, I wouldn't. I haven't celebrated a real Christmas since I was... oh... seven. My mother took me to the theater and we saw a show... then we went home and she gave me a necklace as a gift... we didn't have a tree, but it didn't bother me. It was just nice to spend time together, the two of us, with Mother not having to work..." She sighed. "All that was long ago, of course. It would have been just six months before Mother died, and after that nothing was ever _normal_ again."

"Well, this is what's normal now," I said. "A bunch of fairy-tale characters all related to each other in multiple somewhat creepy ways."

"Yeah. The ideal life." Her eyes still stared off at the far-away past.

"You could go back to New York."

"There's nothing there anymore. I was there, for a bit. It's totally different."

"Do you think your old apartment is still there?"

"I haven't the faintest clue, and I don't even think I'd know where to find it."

"You know, you could find an apartment here, in Storybrooke."

"Elizabeth, I don't think I want to spend the rest of my life in Stroybrooke. I've got a few months left of senior year of high school, and after that, I'll probably leave. I guess I'll come back to visit, but-"

"Charlotte, visiting this town isn't that simple."

"I know. But my world is out there, and I'll probably go back out there. I could go to college... back when I lived here girls couldn't dream of that sort of thing, and now I really could."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I want that too, I think. But what if it's permanent? What if we never found each other again?"

"There's the internet now, I don't think it's a problem."

"Oh yeah. Okay, then, but I think you have to apply for college like... now, if you want to go next year."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Bae mentioned it when he was explaining some things about schooling in this world."

"Oh, well, I'll have to get on that."

"Yeah."

"Elizabeth!" Papa called, walking towards us. "Have you moved all your boxes?"

"Yes."

"Excellent. Then I believe we can start unpacking."

* * *

"Hey," said Bae awkwardly, standing in the doorway.

"Hi. Would you like to come in?"

"Yeah."

"Then please do."

He walked in. "Emma and Henry are busy with something, but I brought you a housewarming present from us."

"Oh... thank you!"

He handed me a box. I opened it and saw a pretty vase. "Um... thanks."

"Yeah, not the best gift, but it's hard to agree."

"Okay."

"On the note of gifts, though, your birthday is in three days..."

"Oh yeah, it is, isn't it?" I tried to feign surprise, but I failed.

"Yeah, so, as a present, I was thinking... what's your opinion on cats?"

"Oh my... you're going to get me a cat?"

"If you'd like one. Obviously your father would have to agree."

"Yeah, he probably would. And I would _love_ one!"

"Well... great, then! I guess I'll take you to the shelter tomorrow so you can pick one out, and I'll go talk to your father now."

"Thank you, Bae!"

"Yeah, no problem. Where is he?"

"Upstairs."

* * *

"So, you have a house," Michael noted.

I nodded. "Good eyes."

"It's so big!" Emmy exclaimed. It wasn't all that big, but I guess anything was large compared to a prison cell.

"I guess it is."

"Do you want to hang out on Saturday night?" Michael asked.

 _Wow. I guess Charlotte wasn't that off._ "Can't, I've got plans with Charlotte and possibly Rebecca. And speaking of plans, do you guys want to come to the Christmas party Mary Margaret is throwing?"

Michael shrugged. "Why not? When is it?"

"December 22nd."

"Awesome."

"Sounds good!" Emmy chimed in.

"I'm free Friday night, by the way," I told Michael.

"Okay then."

"Movie?"

"Sure, or..."

"Or what?"

"We could go ice skating."

"That's a good plan too."


	5. 15th Birthday

On the morning of Thursday, December 19, 2013, I woke up, looked in the mirror hanging in the room I had had for three days, and thought, _Hey! I'm 15 now!_ Then I sat up and thought, _Ew! I have school today._ People shouldn't have to go to school on their birthdays. It wasn't fair. I put on a lavender-colored dress and tied my hair up into a ponytail. I practically skipped down the stairs, suddenly feeling like a little girl again-which was weird, since I was a year older. But the last time I had celebrated a birthday with my Papa had been my sixth birthday, and the thought of celebrating with him again made me feel again like a child.

He was cooking pancakes, and I frowned at the thought of eating them. Could he actually cook? He hadn't been able to before, but maybe now. I doubted it, but, I would enjoy them anyway. They were birthday pancakes from my father, after all. I sat down with a smile.

"Elizabeth, I cannot believe you are fifteen years old today."

"Should have happened a couple centuries ago, so I'm a little surprised you weren't more prepared."

He chuckled, but then grew sad. "The last time I saw you you were six, Elizabeth. Then, it appears, when you were thirteen, but that is still time I do not remember. I missed eight birthdays with you."

"That's okay. We've got this one, and three more before I'm an adult."

"Don't remind me."

"Where's Minerva?" I questioned, inquiring the location of my newly acquired cat.

"I don't know. Probably out on the deck. Why did you pick such an odd name for a cat, anyway?"

"It's from a book," I muttered, while eating the first pancake laid before me. I looked up at the clock. "Oh boy, it's 7:10. I'd better get going to the bus."

"Well, alright then. See you this afternoon."

"I'll see you," I replied, grabbing my coat and bag and rushing out the door.

* * *

"Hey," Michael said when I walked up to him. "Feel any different being 15?"

"Why don't you answer that? You're still 15 too."

"Only for another few months."

"Yeah, whatever."

"Happy Birthday, Elizabeth."

"Thank you," I replied, suppressing the urge to say, "You too!"

"I got you a present," he added pulling a small box out of his bag. "It's not much, but it's the best I could do."

I opened it up to reveal a beaded necklace of blue and green and smiled. "I love it. It's like the ocean."

He smiled back.

* * *

"Happy Birthday," Charlotte said when we arrived at school.

"Thanks."

"I got you this." She handed me a small box, which I opened to reveal a small pin that read, "I Read It In A Book."

I grinned. "Thanks. Where'd you get it?"

"There's a store in New York that sells them, I actually got it a few months ago but forgot to give it to you."

"Oh. Well, it's cool. I mean, Bae still got me the best gift, but this is nice too."

"Yeah, sorry, I can't beat a cat."

"Well I'd hope not. Why would you want to beat a cat, the poor thing?"

"Ha ha, you're so funny."

* * *

"Happy Birthday," Rebecca said when I sat down next to her in class.

"Thanks," I replied.

She slid an envelope over to me, which I opened to reveal a card and a pair of earrings. "Thanks!"

"You're welcome," she replied, before the teacher shushed us.

* * *

When school let out, I went with Michael to meet Emmy at the elementary school, and she gave me a drawing of a boat. "This is for you," she said, "For your birthday. Because you're a pirate."

"Wow... thanks, Emmy," I replied. "Speaking of birthdays, aren't you going to be nine soon?"

"Yeah. In a month."

"You should start planning your party!"

She frowned. "A party? Just for a birthday?"

"Well, a celebration, at least."

She seemed to consider it for a moment. "Okay!"

* * *

I got back home and opened the door, seeing my cat laying on the table. "Hey, Minerva," I said, scratching her behind her ears. "Spying on some Muggles, are you?"

She responded by rolling over so I could scratch her stomach.

Papa came inside after a moment. "Elizabeth," he said, "Please come to the docks with me."

I smiled a bit and went after him. On the docks was the Jolly Roger, covered in balloons and with a table in the middle that had a cake on it. Bae, Emma, Henry, and all my friends were there. "Papa..."

"I thought we'd celebrate your birthday a bit like how they're celebrated in this world."

"I love it," I said, but I could feel tears starting to form in my eyes. I didn't really know what was wrong. It was great, everything I could want from a birthday party. Except maybe one thing. "I wish Mama were here."

"I do too," he replied, taking my hand. "She would have been very proud of her grown-up daughter. Already a young lady."

"I'm no lady, Papa," I reminded him. "I'm a pirate."

"Indeed you are," he said, as we walked onto the deck. "And that reminds me... I never did teach you to properly fight with a sword, did I?"

"No." I had learned to shoot a bow and arrow on Neverland, but learning to sword fight required a partner.

"We'll have to get to that at some point. Right now, let's eat cake."

I looked at it. "Nine candles?"

"One for this birthday, and one for every birthday we missed."

I smiled as he lit them, and then I made my wish: _I wish for what we have to stay this way for as long as possible._ Then I blew out the candles.

As the cake was cut and everyone began to eat it, I felt more like I belonged somewhere than I had ever felt before.

"Happy Birthday, sis," said Bae with a smile. "How are things going with... what did you name your cat?"

"Minerva," Emma cut in. "It's from a book series."

"Yeah... I'll have to read that."

"Yeah, no kidding you have to read that."

They walked away, and Henry came over next. "Happy Birthday, Aunt Elizabeth."

"Please don't call me aunt. I'm like, a year older than you."

"We have a weird family."

"We sure do."

For the next hour or so, I hung out with my friends; Bae, Emma, and Henry left after about twenty minutes, but Charlotte, Rebecca, Michael, and Emmy stayed.

"Oh, Elizabeth," said Papa, coming over to me after a while. "I do have to give you your gift..." He handed me a white box, which I opened with a smile.

"A smartphone."

"As you requested."

"Thank you, Papa. I love you."

"I love you too. Happy Birthday."

And it was.


	6. The Weekend

_Friday, December 20, 2013_

"Slow down!" Michael called, as I raced ahead of him on my ice skates. Obliging, I lowered my speed and allowed him to catch up. "How are you so good at this?"

"It's mostly just a matter of balance, which I'm quite good at. I had many years to practice random skills in Neverland."

"Yeah, didn't you say your voice was enchanted?"

"Another skill I picked up. I learned it from a Siren who was in the waters around the island; apparently anyone with magic can use a Siren's powers." I had been lying for so long and saying it was a natural power of mine, I had started to believe it. It was almost a reminder to myself of how I had really gained the ability.

"And where did you learn how to raise the dead?"

"Right, see, I didn't learn that one, I just changed the laws of magic to allow myself to do it."

"Which is kind of weird."

"Duly noted. Now come on, let's skate already." This conversation really could be had any time; I wanted to feel the wind rushing past me as I soared across the ice.

He did his best to keep up. "And do the laws of magic still not apply to you?"

"I haven't actually checked. Pretty sure the spell still applies despite the nearly-dying-in-the-void thing."

"Well, that's cool. So you don't have to worry about anybody dying anymore."

"I guess not. But I'll try not to let the power get to my head."

"Oh, good. Cause it's not like you have an ego or anything," he said.

"Was that sarcasm?" Sure, I had a bit of an ego, but it seemed like he was being unfair.

"Well... every time there's a problem, you go, 'I'm a pirate, I can handle it.'"

"I _am_ a pirate."

"Yes, I know. Although, you were only six when you left the ship."

"Once a pirate, always a pirate, Michael. Now come on, I'll race you around the rink."

* * *

"Good night, Elizabeth," he said when we arrived at my house.

"Good night, Michael."

He kissed me and walked off, and I smiled and went inside, my father waiting for me.

"Kissing already? You're only fifteen!"

I rolled my eyes and scratched Minerva behind the ears.

* * *

 _Saturday, December 21, 2013_

"This was a fun idea," Charlotte said, sitting down on the couch with the bowl of popcorn.

"Agreed," said Rebecca, joining us with the bag of potato chips in her hands. "So what movie should we watch?"

"I dunno, you want to watch some fairy tale movie and see how bad their take on it is?"

Rebecca smiled. "Sure."

"Which one?" asked Charlotte. "Peter Pan?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I do not want to see my father with curly hair and a mustache."

"How about Snow White?" said Rebecca.

"Sure, why not."

* * *

"Have Mary Margaret and David seen this?" Charlotte asked with a chuckle.

"Not sure, but Henry made Regina watch it," I replied. I remembered Henry telling me how disgusted she had been by the movie's portrayal of the Evil Queen.

"It's so ridiculous," said Rebecca. "They don't understand a thing about what life in the Enchanted Forest was really like."

"What was it like?" asked Charlotte.

"Well, not this."

* * *

 _Sunday, December 22, 2013_

"Thank you all for coming!" Mary Margaret said with a smile. "Merry Christmas!"

"Why am I here again?" Regina muttered.

"Oh come on, Mom, enjoy it!" Henry said, dragging Regina over to his other mother and his father.

"I can't believe I'm at a party with Rumpelstiltskin," Papa muttered.

"Play nice," I said, somewhat concerned about what might happen.

"I will. But only for you, dear."

Rolling my eyes, I walked over to Charlotte, Rebecca, Michael, and Emmy. "So, what's up?"

"I applied to college," said Charlotte.

"Wait, what?! You haven't mentioned that! You were just over last night!"

"Calm down, Elizabeth, will you? I applied this morning. To three schools, two in New York and one in Boston. I might apply to a few more just in case I don't get in to any of those."

"You will," I said.

"How can you know that?"

"Because who wouldn't want you?"

"That's nice, Elizabeth, but they've never met me."

"You'll be fine."

"Good luck," said Rebecca with a smile.

"When do we get to eat?" Emmy asked.

"In a little bit," said Michael. He motioned for me to step aside, which I did.

"Any progress on getting a foster home for Emmy? We've been in Storybrooke for over a month now, she can't keep staying with me."

"It's not that simple, Michael. There's plenty in the area, but you want her to stay in Storybrooke, which doesn't have a foster system. Are you sure sending her to Boston wouldn't be the best thing for her?"

"I'm sure. We can't be separated. She's known me for as long as she can remember."

"Yeah, but this town is crazy. You know something's going to come and attack us soon."

"Yeah, I do know that. But I don't want to be separated from her... she's basically my little sister."

"So don't you want her to have something resembling a normal life?"

"I mean, I guess, but..."

"You could go and visit her. I'm just saying, I think she'd be better off away from Storybrooke."

He sighed. "You might be right. Nine-year-old girls shouldn't be living on their own."

"She isn't even nine for a few more weeks."

"You promised her a birthday party."

"I did, yeah. It can also be a going-away party."

He nodded. "Alright then. How do we get her into the foster care system?"

"Emma can work it out."

"Good."

"Now come on, let's get back to the party!"

Michael went back over to talk to the others, and I found Henry in conversation with a girl in his grade. "Hey nephew. Who's this?"

"This is Grace."

"Nice to meet you, Grace. I'm Elizabeth."

"Hi," she said.

Walking over to the table with the snacks, I passed Rumpelstiltskin and Belle.

"Hi Elizabeth," Belle said.

"Hi."

"This party is silly," I heard Rumpelstiltskin mutter as I walked away.

"Just enjoy it, Rumple," she replied.

"Hey," said Bae, joining me at the snack table.

"Hey big brother. What's up?"

"Not much."

"How are things going with you and Emma?"

"Pretty well. I mean, I don't want to get too confident, it's only been a few weeks... but I could see this going somewhere."

"Well, that's good. But you already have a child together, I think you could say it's been somewhere already."

"Yeah, well, maybe someday we'll have more kids."

I raised my eyebrows. "Have you run that idea past Emma?"

"Oh no, I don't want any now. I'm just saying it's a future possibility."

"Well, glad things are working out."

"Yeah, me too."

"I'd like to propose a toast," Mary Margaret said, and I rolled my eyes. Her welcome statement hadn't been enough.

"To friends, and to family," she said, smiling at Emma and at David, who was holding baby Neal.

"To friends and to family," everyone echoed, and I said it too, silly a mantra as it was.


	7. Living Life

On a cold day in mid-January, I went to my house after school. We had all agreed that here was the best place. I sat behind the couch, a slightly squirming Minerva in my arms. Charlotte arrived, getting behind the couch next to me; Rebecca soon joined us. Henry hid under the table, which seemed like a bad hiding place to me, but whatever. Papa was in the kitchen, not desiring to do the hiding thing. Emma and Bae were behind another couch. At precisely 3:15 in the afternoon, Michael walked in the door with Emmy and turned on the light.

"What-" she began to say, but was immediately drowned out.

"Happy Birthday, Emmy!" we all shouted, with Papa bringing out the cake.

She squealed and jumped into Michael's arms. "A party for me?!"

"Well, it's not every day a girl turns nine, is it?" I said.

She smiled widely and gave me a hug. I hugged her back. For that moment, she seemed to forget that she was still mad at us for sending her away. She was leaving the next day. She didn't forget for very long, backing away from me.

"But you're still sending me away?" she asked, the tone of betrayal still in her voice.

"We want you to have a good life, Emmy," Michael said. "And that means living a life like a normal person."

"But I like my life now! I like you guys! I don't know how to be a normal person!"

"You'll have to learn," I said. "Learn to be an ordinary girl, or at least as ordinary as you can be. It's hard, I know. But life is better for it."

Emmy pouted. "At least there's cake," she muttered.

The party contained mostly everybody watching Emmy put on her own little show; it was a cute show, where she was a princess. But not a typical little-girl princess. No. Emmy was a bandit princess, her own hero, a slayer of dragons. It really was fairly good. There were gifts, too, of course. I gave her a bracelet, Charlotte gave her a tiara, the adults collectively gave her a toy archery set, Henry gave her a storybook, Rebecca gave her hair accessories, and Michael gave her the greatest gift of all, and one I could not fathom how he had afforded: a small guitar.

"What I always wanted," Emmy said with a grin.

"Of course," he replied. "What else?"

* * *

In the morning, Michael and I went to say goodbye to Emmy before she went with Emma to Boston to be placed in a foster home.

"You'll come visit? Emmy asked. "You promise?"

"We promise," said Michael. He looked like he was starting to cry, and he turned away for a moment.

"Goodbye, Emmy," I said. "Thank you for helping to save my life."

"Of course," she said. "You were worth saving."

She gave me a hug goodbye, and when Michael had turned back around, she hugged him too. She got in the car with Emma and waved goodbye from the backseat. We waved back at her as the car drove out of Storybrooke.

"Are you okay?" I asked Michael.

He shook his head.

"She'll be happy there."

He sighed. "I know."

"She can live a normal life."

"What even is normal anymore?"

"You're asking the wrong person."

* * *

 _Seven Months Later_

"Do you have to leave?" I asked, in a way that was much too whiny.

"Elizabeth," Charlotte said, her tone somewhat amused, "You're the one who told me to apply to college."

"I know, but..."

"This isn't goodbye forever."

"Of course not. Who said it was?"

"I'm just saying. Don't overreact."

"Yeah, yeah." I hugged her goodbye. "Goodbye, Charlotte."

"Goodbye, Elizabeth."

* * *

I woke up on the first day of my sophomore year of high school. I had several classes with Rebecca today, which was cool. Henry was starting as a freshman, which meant I could semi-associate with him during the school day. I was dating a junior and I had a friend who was in college. I lived with my father in a nice house by the water and I had a cat named Minerva, from a book series my brother Bae had finally read. That was my life. And also, I was a pirate and a fairytale; that's just me. Elizabeth Jones, pirate, fairytale... ordinary girl. Because that's me too. That's my life now. And Storybrooke is my home.

 **A/N: The End.**


End file.
